


Simulating A Human Conversation.

by theweakestthing



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Florence - Freeform, M/M, also i just really want to go to Florence so I'm living vicariously through them, the boys go to Florence because I love Hannibal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-28
Updated: 2016-11-28
Packaged: 2018-09-02 22:19:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8685505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theweakestthing/pseuds/theweakestthing
Summary: A distance, no matter how imagined it is, is difficult to navigate without a guide.





	

Yuuri watched the sun rise over the horizon through the window as they flew over the clouds, the reds and yellows bled into the pale clouds and painted the sky in soft pastels. Viktor was asleep beside him, head beautifully framed by the pillow he was leaning against. Yuuri tried not to stare at the other, looking at Viktor's effortlessly stunning features as the other slept brought memories of the night before. Yuuri didn't want to have to spend the rest of the flight sitting awkwardly uncomfortable. A hand came up to cup the side of his neck, thumb curled just under his jaw, and Yuuri's eyes snapped back to Viktor to find the other blinking slowly at him. Yuuri leant into the touch, easily allowing Viktor the access even in such a public place, they'd done worse in front of television cameras. Viktor had certainly posted worse on his instagram, Yuuri had learnt that steeping in the embarrassment was ultimately pointless.

"How close are we Yuuri?" Viktor murmured, voice sticky sweet and thick with sleep.

Yuuri brought up the flight path on the screen that was embedded in the seat in front of his own, "about forty minutes," he replied, he watched the small animated image of a plane move over the line of their journey. Viktor continued to massage the side of Yuuri's neck for a time before sitting back to stretch out as much as he could, hands reaching out to the sky, he sighed as his joints popped.

"I can taste the katsudon already," Viktor smiled, sliding his pillow under the chair in front, as he rose he turned his head back to Yuuri to find that charming cherry blush colouring Yuuri's cheeks. It was as delicate as it was decadent or at least that was how Viktor felt looking upon Yuuri as he did, his smile spread and somehow that seemed to deepen the other's blush.

"Me too," Yuuri returned with his own small smile, eager to finally taste it again, the taste of victory upon his lips.

* * *

 They received a warm welcome, friends and family waited outside the train station to cheer them on and congratulate them, smiling and friendly. Yuuri allowed himself to revel in the sensation, bask in the golden glory as the sun burst behind the people before them. It was wonderful and short lived before someone began to ask about their relationship, Yuuri flushed as Viktor divulged a few bits of information that Yuuri would have preferred not to hear said in front of his parents, but there was no stopping Viktor when the other was teasing him.

Besides the embarrassment, it was quite nice really, to have so many people he'd burdened for so long around him to see the man he'd become over his time with Viktor and at nationals. Viktor's arm came around him and guided him home, guided him to the katsudon of champions.

The katsudon didn't taste as good as Viktor did that night.

* * *

 The ethereal glow of the moon shone through the window, curtains pushed wide open, Yuuri watched the way it touched Viktor's skin and made it appear luminescent. Chin pressed to Viktor's shoulder, the soft light made Viktor's silver hair shimmer and quite frankly Yuuri was captivated by the other's beautiful face. Viktor could have effortlessly been a model, features so sharply cut, he was certainly a stunning sight to behold.

Even now, Yuuri half expected to wake up and find Viktor gone, that side of the bed cold and empty. He considered the story of the playboy and how he'd imagined himself to be the woman in that situation, swept away by Viktor's charms. Then again, that meant that he'd managed to seduce Viktor, that thought had him pressing his face into the space between Viktor's shoulder blades, hiding his embarrassment from no one but himself. His confidence had grown exponentially since Viktor had come to coach him, but still he didn't have so much confidence in himself to completely believe that he'd seduced Viktor.

There Viktor was though, lying in bed beside him and sleeping soundly, had been for almost a year now. Loyal but flighty in his character, Yuuri was forever on his toes, waiting to see what surprise Viktor would spring on him next. Yuuri felt as though he were constantly dizzy, but Viktor only looked to provide pleasant surprises and to that gasping smile spread across Yuuri's face. It meant that Yuuri could never really settle, could never sink into their relationship, it was hard to get to know someone that always wanted to surprise you.

It made Yuuri think of the dilemma of the magician, the magician could never enamour himself to the audience because all of his efforts went into tricking and deceiving them and thus they could never truly know who the magician was or when he was being genuine. It left Yuuri feeling exposed before someone that was partially hid in the shadows, it wasn't much different from the view he had of Viktor then, face partially hidden from view.

In the light of day Viktor appeared the most human in the early morning, dishevelled to the core, Viktor never seemed quite ready for the world until his eyes fell upon Yuuri's form. Stark sharp sunlight pierced the room and lit Viktor's mussed hair awfully enough for Yuuri to feel like an equal, that lopsided and boundless smile spread across Viktor's face as he stared over his shoulder at Yuuri.

"Morning Yuuri," Viktor murmured, sleep adorably thick in his voice.

"Good morning," Yuuri returned with a bright smile, reaching over Viktor's body for his glasses on the nightstand. Viktor easily intercepted his arm and yanked him down again in one swift motion, his other arm snaking under and around Yuuri as he rolled over to face Yuuri, he pressed their lips together softly and sunk into the feeling of the shared warmth. Humming as he pulled away, Viktor smiled as he watched the blush spread beautifully across Yuuri's cheeks like cherry blossom petals sweeping over the pale sky.

"Even now you're still surprised when I kiss you," Viktor said, wrapping around Yuuri to steal the other's warmth.

"It was just sudden, I didn't expect it," Yuuri stammered, arm falling limply over Viktor's side, hand against Viktor's back. Pale skin like porcelain against the palm of Yuuri's hand, bodies pressed tightly together, he could feel Viktor's breath fanning his face.

"Will you be surprised by the next kiss, I wonder?" Viktor smirked trailing his mouth over Yuuri's skin with barely there touches, making Yuuri twitch. Viktor was always trying to avoid leaving the bed.

* * *

 

Stood on the bridge as the sun rose above the horizon, Yuuri wondered if Viktor missed the seagulls that squawked over the Russian horizon. He could simply ask the other, but somehow he was scared that Viktor would leave the moment he mentioned St. Petersburg as stupid as it sounded.

He knew it was right to waver like that, but then again it wouldn't exactly be smart to put all of his energy into committing to a relationship he wasn't sure would see the end of the month. Fingers wrapped around the cold railings, he turned his eyes down to the rocking sea, everything ebbed and flowed. It wasn't as though Yuuri had ever been completely confident in himself for more than a few minutes, even with Viktor around and after having won a national championship by the other's side he still lacked the self confidence to believe that Viktor would stay with him for forever.

"You look worried Yuuri," Viktor's voice drifted from behind Yuuri, making the younger jump.

"Viktor," Yuuri exclaimed, spinning on his heels to stammer up at Viktor's face, "small town," he added dumbly.

"Yes, I've noticed that," Viktor smiled, easily batting away Yuuri's deflection, "what's wrong?" He asked, expertly cutting through Yuuri weak guard.

"N-nothing, nothing's wrong," Yuuri replied cagily, "I just wanted to watch the sun rise," he added hastily.

"Without me?" Viktor asked, mock hurt on his face as he dramatically held his hand over his heart.

"Umm," Yuuri drew a blank, mind reeling as he struggling to even make a sound.

"You can tell me anything, Yuuri, I won't be upset," Viktor said, stepping up to the railing beside Yuuri, looking out over the sea as Yuuri had been.

"Do you miss home? Your home?" Yuuri asked, eyes scanning Viktor's face.

"Of course I do," Viktor said, "like I said before I hadn't noticed how much I missed the harsh call of the gulls until I couldn't hear them anymore," he continued and Yuuri followed his eye line to stare up at the seagulls dancing in the bleak sky. "That doesn't mean I'm about to up and leave, there are things I'd miss here too," Viktor said, turning to Yuuri and smiling softly at the other, "is that what you've been thinking?" He asked, eyes glimmering in the stark light.

"I'm not trying to insult you or anything Viktor, I've been thinking about it is all," Yuuri said, trying to look anywhere but Viktor's eyes, "not that I think you're just going to up and leave, sometimes I just think that I'm not good enough for you," his eyes widened as he said the words, but he couldn't stop them once he'd started. When he'd stopped, he found Viktor frowning down at him looking quite serious.

"So you worry I'll leave because you think you're not good enough for me?" Viktor summarised Yuuri's thoughts into a neat package and it almost sounded ridiculous when said back to him. Almost being the operative word.

"Maybe," Yuuri mumbled, looking down at his feet.

"That is pretty insulting, but I'll admit that I don't appear to be the committed type," Viktor began, arms leant against the railing, "Yuuri, I've been captivated by you from when I saw that video and you've been an inspiration for me ever since then," he said, trying to reassure Yuuri with flattery.

"I just worry that it's all I am to you," Yuuri surprised himself as much as Viktor with that from the look on Viktor's face, "I-I didn't mean that, forget I said it," he stammered as he turned away from the other, hating how awful it sounded.

"Yuuri," Viktor called, hand curling over Yuuri's on the railing, "you're far more than just a muse to me," he ran his thumb in circles against the back of Yuuri's palm. "You're someone I want to share everything with," he continued, sliding up beside the other, shoulders rubbing, "you do remember how I was trying to seduce you every moment we spent together?"

"I just thought I was seeing things and making it up," Yuuri fumbled, reeling back from Viktor's sudden touch.

"You shut down every single one of my advances, I was quite upset," Viktor said, sounding put out, pouting even.

"I'm pretty sure that I've more than made up for it," Yuuri muttered, ignoring the heat he could feel crawling across his cheeks.

"Oh, so lewd Yuuri," Viktor teased, close enough to the other for his breath to be felt, "I'm not going anywhere and I am just myself with you Yuuri, who you wanted me to be," he said, taking on a more serious and sincere tone.

"I'd just like to know more about you," Yuuri murmured, turning his hand over to wrap around Viktor's, "not to say that I don't know, I just want to know more," he added, meeting Viktor's eyes again.

"That's all I've ever wanted," Viktor said, smile beaming at Yuuri, sun light making his skin glimmer.

"You ask too many personal questions," Yuuri said, blushing still from the way Viktor was so casually sexy.

"And you get embarrassed too easily," Viktor purred, revelling in the way Yuuri was so easy to tease.

* * *

 

Fingers toying with the sand, the gulls were easier hear from there, Viktor sat there alone listening to the distant echoes of home. Though, the chill didn't roll in here like it did at home, he didn't have his cheeks beaten ruddy by the wind. Instead of the cold, an almost warm gentle breeze rocked the sea. The sand was different here, the taste of the salt in the air was different too, everything was different in its own small way. It was endearing and novel, but sometimes that didn't go very far to healing his homesickness.

Yuuri's approach was quiet but not enough to be startling, Yuuri softly sat down beside Viktor and didn't say a word. They stayed in comfortable silence as they stared out over the sea together, it seemed that water bound them, either ocean or ice, they were either on it or brooding over it.

"What do you want me to be to you?" Viktor echoed without looking over at Yuuri, instead he imagined dancing upon the sea before them.

"Who you are, I want you to be Viktor," Yuuri replied, hands on the sand, palms grinding against the grains.

"You want me to be who I decide to be?" Viktor replied, head tilted slightly as he visualised a quad. "If that's what it is, then what do you want to be to me?" He asked, leaning back on his palms.

"Important," Yuuri breathed, the word spilled like smoke held in his mouth.

Viktor didn't say anything in return, he simply smiled softly as he continued to stare out over the rocking waves.

* * *

 

It was odd, it felt odd to be so serious with Viktor, to actually lay everything out. They'd never really done that before, even when they'd come close Yuuri got the feeling that Viktor was hiding something. When he'd tried to pay Viktor the other had refused most of it, even after all the free coaching and help he'd given Yuuri, it was too much for the kind of person Yuuri was. He didn't like taking things from others without giving anything in return, it made him feel uneasy and as though he was in Viktor's debt.

"I'd feel weird about making you give me money, after everything we've done together," Viktor said, chin leant on his hand and smiling charmingly up at Yuuri.

"You're awful," Yuuri muttered, turning several shades of red, each one darker than the other.

"I just love the way that blush looks on your face," Viktor said, watching as Yuuri set the bowls down onto the table before sitting down himself.

"You like keeping me on my toes," Yuuri replied as he crossed his legs under the table, he didn't know where he got the confidence to say things like that but he figured he had a tiny bitch living at the back of his mind.

"Why would you ever want to put your heels down?" Viktor asked, haughty and as though he were thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Some people like being able to feel the ground beneath their feet," Yuuri replied, letting the bitch take over for once.

"And those people wish they could fly," Viktor said easily, as though he'd had this conversation before.

"Even birds touch the ground," Yuuri said, stuffing food into his mouth so that nothing else would come out.

"Indeed they do," Viktor said breezily, he began to eat elegantly, "are you waiting for me to touch the ground, Yuuri?" He asked, brow raised quizzically at the other.

"Maybe," Yuuri murmured in between mouthfuls of food.

"You're looking for proof that I'm just like everyone else when I'm not like anyone else," Viktor replied, almost sounding offended by the possibility.

"That's not what I'm asking," Yuuri spluttered, nearly choking on his food.

"Then ask me, straight out," Viktor dared him, staring straight into Yuuri's eyes.

"It's like I've always said, I just want you to be you," Yuuri returned, hating the way he felt cornered. All he wanted to do was get to know Viktor better and in turn have Viktor know him better, what was so wrong with that?

* * *

 

The night was long and Yuuri felt the cold seep in between them, maybe he was just imagining it, but ever since dinner a quiet distance had grown between them and Yuuri couldn't help but feel as though it was all his fault.

"Forget I ever said anything, Viktor," Yuuri breathed into the night, releasing the frustration held taught in his body. There was a long drawn out silence in which Yuuri wondered if Viktor was already asleep, the other didn't tend to fall asleep so easily and especially not when they weren't tangled in each other.

"Do I feel like a stranger to you?" Viktor's voice came soft in the quiet darkness.

It made Yuuri's heart pang, throat clenched tight as he blinked up at the blurry ceiling.

"You're not a stranger, you're just someone I want to know everything about," Yuuri managed to say, forcing the words out, "is it so bad?"

"When we began this journey I asked you the same thing," Viktor murmured, a hollowness to his voice that made Yuuri's stomach churn.

"I was shy and embarrassed, it's not the same thing," Yuuri struggled to gain ground as he felt it sliding out from under him.

"Oh, but it is," Viktor breathed, turning over to face Yuuri, his eyes were solemn.

"Maybe it would have been better if I'd have never said anything," Yuuri said, more to himself than to Viktor.

"Haven't we been getting to know each other ever since we met?" Viktor said, brows slightly raised as he stared at Yuuri through the prevailing darkness.

"I just sort of felt that I was left behind in that regard, I mean I think you know more about me than I do about you," Yuuri said as his shifted uncomfortably under the covers.

"So you feel as though you're at a disadvantage?" Viktor returned, blinking slowly at Yuuri, it was as if he had everything under control while Yuuri felt wholly out of control.

"Well, you've met my parents and I don't even know what yours look like," Yuuri replied, again feeling on the back foot.

"If you were so interested you could have just asked," Viktor said, almost sighing as he spoke.

"I would have spoken about it naturally in conversation," Yuuri said, squinting as Viktor came in and out of focus.

"We're different people Yuuri," Viktor said, so easily as though it were nothing to him.

"I've always been aware of that," Yuuri sighed and this time it was him that turned over, staring into the inky blackness of the space beyond the bed. He was being juvenile and he knew it, but he didn't want to back down this time, well at least not yet.

* * *

 

When Yuuri woke the other side of the bed was empty, he turned to the digital clock to find that he'd overslept. He sighed at the sight of the digits as he slid on his glasses, pushing the covers off of his body, Yuuri let the slight chill seep into his bones. He felt as though he deserved to feel something like that, he wouldn't go as far to having a cold shower but he'd let the cold graze his exposed body.

Yuuri knew he'd been childish, but he just wanted to know Viktor as well as the other knew him. He wanted to know what Viktor's childhood was like, what his parents were like, what his school career had been like, the things that he assumed that people usually spoke about. Then again, they both knew the things that motivated each other and understood each other's temperaments, understood each other's personalities well enough that at most times he could take a stab at Viktor's reaction to any given situation. That hadn't stopped Viktor from surprising him again and again, it also hadn't stopped him from feeling as though Viktor was somehow hiding from him.

Sighing, Yuuri pushed himself off the bed in search of something clean to wear, then moved into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Hand held out on the flow of the water, feeling the temperature, he kicked off his boxers and stepped into the shower. The heat was comforting and it washed away some of Yuuri's doubts, in a way it made him feel stupid and silly for even considering something like that. All he wanted to do was have a solid place to stand between the two of them, he wanted forever when Viktor wouldn't give it to him, rightly so since it wasn't something either of them could guarantee.

As he stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around himself, he caught sight of the mirror from the corner of his eye. The smears upon it drew his attention and he stepped closer toward it, there was a message written on the mirror, words scrawled inside a heart.

_If never ask you'll never know xx_

Yuuri flushed at the audacity, but really it was Viktor all over. Smiling to himself, Yuuri dried himself off and dressed, jumping around as he pulled up his trousers hoping that he hadn't forgotten anything.

* * *

 

Viktor was exactly where Yuuri thought the other would be, sat on that same bench and looking up at the castle. Staring up at it wistfully, Yuuri wouldn't have been surprised to find that Viktor was imagining himself as the ninja invading the castle, he smiled fondly at the thought.

"Hey, I'm sorry about yesterday," Yuuri said timidly, pulling at his jacket as he watched Viktor turn toward him. "I was kind of out of line wasn't I?" He felt so awkward, but he wasn't about to leave the situation as it was, no matter how embarrassed it made him feel.

"All we have to do is talk, I may have been rather cold too," Viktor replied, eyes skirting around Yuuri's form.

"That's unlike you," Yuuri said, smiling wider at the way Viktor wouldn't meet his eyes.

"I thought I was quite cold every now and then," Viktor shrugged, looking back up at the castle.

"I mean, you don't usually have so much difficulty looking at me," Yuuri said, on the edge of actually smirking.

"Ah," Viktor breathed, "I feel kind of bad for the way I spoke to you," he said shyly, which in itself seemed like an oxymoron to have Viktor and shy in the same sentence.

"Well, we're on the same page now," Yuuri said, taking a seat beside the other. "Is this our first fight?" He asked after a moment, a slight wavering laughter in his voice as he scratched at his chin.

"Besides that tie you wore, I'd say it’s maybe our third," Viktor said with that familiar smirk.

"I've never been fashionable," Yuuri murmured, this was better.

Maybe they simply weren't as close yet as either of them had thought, they certainly hadn't spent all that much time together. Just over a year and Yuuri had somehow expected them to know almost everything about each other, he'd been swept up in the whirlwind that Viktor's arrival had created. He had fallen so clichéd in love that he didn't have the time to realise it, but the fog had begun to clear and things were beginning to even out into the normality of regular life.

"I guess the honeymoon period is over," Viktor said softly, pulling Yuuri from his thoughts. "I'm not saying that it's a bad thing," he continued, "it's a phase that all relationships go through," Viktor seemed to be a little anxious still, perhaps he'd been thinking similarly to Yuuri.

"Yeah," Yuuri replied, lacing his hands atop his lap.

"Let's go on holiday," Viktor announced suddenly, head snapping toward Yuuri with that look upon his face. Viktor's face was alight with that unfiltered excitement that told Yuuri he was in for yet another wild ride, Yuuri didn't know if he was quite ready for that yet.

"I don't know how that would help the situation?" Yuuri frowned, brows pinched as he stared back at Viktor.

"It'd help us relax, make it easier for us to get to know each other better without the added pressures of performing," Viktor replied, smiling that disarming and charming smile he pulled out every time he wanted to get his way, Yuuri was hardly immune to it.

"You're being serious aren't you?" Yuuri said, brows upturned and expression pained as he tried to stall as much as possible.

"I've always wanted to vacation in Italy," Viktor said, dreamily staring at Yuuri.

"I haven't even decided what I'm going to do next," Yuuri stammered, leaning back to create some distance between them, cheeks easily turning pink.

"You're going to Florence," Viktor replied, simply.

"Florence?" Yuuri repeated, brows raised as he blinked back at Viktor.

"I hear it's a very romantic city," Viktor murmured, shuffling closer toward Yuuri as he wrapped his arm around the other's waist.

"Better than Paris?" Yuuri asked and instantly regretted it as he watched the wide smile spread across Viktor's face, Yuuri couldn't move back anymore lest he fall off the bench.

Viktor chuckled, hand held elegantly over his mouth, "oh, my pure innocent Yuuri," he said, smirking as he pulled Yuuri against himself.

"There's nothing I can say that'd get me out of this is there?" Yuuri said, breath sweeping over VIktor's face from the short distance between them.

"You can always say no Yuuri," Viktor replied, lips barely touching the skin of Yuuri's jaw, "but you won't," he said, pressing his lips to Yuuri's skin finally.

"I won't," Yuuri groaned, hating how easily he gave in. Maybe he actually wanted to say yes the whole time, probably.

* * *

 

"Are you really sure that it's more romantic than Paris?" Yuuri asked as he folded clothes and packed them into his suitcase.

"Quite sure," Viktor replied with an amused smile as he lied there on the bed, he hadn't unpacked since they'd arrived a few days ago.

"If you say so," Yuuri muttered.

"Who's the one with the most romantic experience between the two of us?" Viktor asked as though the answer were obvious, Yuuri knew it was and that was probably the part that irritated him the most.

"Point taken," Yuuri said, moving into the bathroom to grab some toiletries.

"Did I offend you Yuuri?" Viktor asked, rolling over on the mattress to better watch Yuuri.

"It's your smug pretty face that annoys me," Yuuri grumbled as he shifted through the tiny wall mounted cabinet, frowning while he did it. He began to chew on the inside of his mouth, trying his best not to take it all back as he pushed the cabinet shut.

"I find this side of you really enchanting," Viktor purred from where he laid draped over the bed.

Yuuri turned slowly toward Viktor then, he could feel his face heating up and was almost certain that he was beet red from the way Viktor was looking at him. He concentrated really hard on not dropping anything as he made his way back to the bed, Viktor's eyes followed him and Yuuri just couldn't get those words out of his mind.

"I like it when you show your confidence," Viktor continued as though he hadn't stopped, embarrassing Yuuri further.

He'd never really been able to handle these kinds of compliments, flustered and in the middle of a task as he was, he fumbled with the zipper of his suitcase as he tried to ignore Viktor. Yuuri failed almost immediately, eyes flicking up to Viktor, it was too much to take.

"You can't just say things like that," Yuuri stammered softly, pulling the suitcase off the bed.

"I'm not allowed to compliment you?" Viktor asked, brow arched as stared up at Yuuri, "I thought we were getting to know each other better?"

"Shut up," Yuuri whined as the suitcase noisily clunked to the floor.

"милый," Viktor murmured, quietly but not quiet enough for Yuuri to not have heard him. It wasn't as though it mattered anyway, Yuuri couldn't understand him.

Flopping down on the bed beside Viktor, Yuuri bounced atop the mattress slightly, face down in the sheets and his glasses dug into his skin. He rolled onto his back and stared up at the ceiling, fingers sliding over the sheets.

"Do you think this will really make us closer?" Yuuri said, eyes scanning over the cracking paint.

"I think so," Viktor said, soft smile evident in his gentle voice. He reached his hand out and curled it around Yuuri's, rubbing his thumb over the back of Yuuri's palm in an effort to soothe the other.

"I guess I'm just doubting everything again," Yuuri shrugged, squeezing Viktor's hand.

"Somehow it doesn't surprise me that you continue to be this shy," Viktor said, "you shouldn't feel bad about it, having a sense of self preservation is a good thing," he continued, turning on his side to stare at Yuuri's perpetually pink face.

"Self preservation and a lack of confidence aren't the same thing," Yuuri replied, slightly pouting as he spoke.

"I know, but your confidence comes in waves and it's beautiful," Viktor breathed, warm and as easy as a summer breeze, "you know I'm not 100% confident all the time," he smiled.

"I seriously find that hard to believe," Yuuri muttered, pout becoming more defined.

"You're so adorable when you're pouting," Viktor said, fingers gently gliding over Yuuri's lips, making the other shiver.

"You're terrible," Yuuri whined softly as Viktor's touch grew rougher.

* * *

 

Sat next to the window again, this time Viktor had insisted that they at least flew business class, the leg room was obviously much better and they were more comfortable than coach. Either way though, Yuuri would have preferred to have saved the money especially since Viktor had also insisted on paying for their flights. He was somewhat embarrassed while also somewhat thrilled at the idea of his boyfriend paying for things, he was also still somewhat embarrassed and thrilled to call Viktor his boyfriend.

Viktor's hand was over his own upon the arm rest, Yuuri didn't pay much attention to the superhero movie playing on the screen before him, it was simply something to do to pass the time. He let the warmth of Viktor's hand seep into his skin as he leant back into the neck pillow, Yuuri pulled his glasses off and set them aside. Eyes closed, Yuuri slipped away with Viktor beside him.

* * *

 

The weather was warm but not stiflingly so, Yuuri shifted under his lightweight jacket as he dragged his suitcase behind him. Neither of them were good with jet-lag, no matter how many times they travelled, all Yuuri wanted to do was have a shower. They groggily moved through the airport and stood in the gentle sun waiting for a taxi, Viktor thrust his arm out fast enough to make Yuuri dizzy and called for a passing taxi to come over.

When the taxi pulled up to the curb the driver came out, an average looking man that was roughly their age, Viktor murmured something distinctly not in Russian or English to the taxi driver. Yuuri was tired, really tired, so maybe he had misheard. The driver packed their suitcases into the trunk as Viktor ushered Yuuri into the back of the car, fingers entwined on the seat between them. The car jostled as the driver climbed back in and harshly closed the car door, Viktor leaned forward and curled his hand over the edge of the chair in front.

Foreign words fell from Viktor's mouth again and Yuuri was sure this time, it certainly wasn't English because he would have understood it and there was no way Viktor was speaking Russian to an Italian taxi driver, it just didn't make sense. The only thing that did make sense was for Viktor to be speaking Italian, which was news to Yuuri. He watched as Viktor sat back down and the car pulled away onto the road.

"You speak Italian?" Yuuri asked, brow arched dubiously.

"Yes, I do," Viktor replied with that self-satisfied smirk.

"It would have been a long time before I learned that if we hadn't come here, right?" Yuuri said, frowning at Viktor as he tried not to smile.

"Who knows," Viktor said shrugging and smiling still.

"I don't know what to say," Yuuri said, shaking his head as he let the small smile spread across his lips.

"I think it's quite impressive to learn three languages," Viktor said, waggling his eyebrows at Yuuri.

Yuuri chuckled shyly from behind his hand, "did you just learn Italian because you wanted to come here on vacation?" He asked, teetering on edge of laughter.

"Is that wrong?" Viktor asked, brows raised at the other.

"No, I think it shows a kind of dedication that's quite like you," Yuuri replied, quite genuinely impressed and it really was so like Viktor to impulsively learn a language simply because he wanted to visit the country someday. Of course it was certain to pleasantly surprise those around him.

"Oh, quite like me how?" VIktor asked, leaning toward Yuuri with intrigue.

"You love to show off," Yuuri returned simply, his own smug smile now plastered to his face.

"Heh, you might be right," Viktor said as he sat back in his seat.

* * *

 

Yuuri couldn't tear his eyes away from the view, the beautiful river framed by the stunning riverbank and exquisitely ornate railings along with the breathtaking bridges that broke up the river. Each and every building was worth spending over an hour to study its intricacies. He'd been all over the world, but he'd never had the time to just stand there and examine the world before him.

"It's truly a sight that steals the breath from your lungs," Viktor said from behind Yuuri, arms encircling the other's waist.

"Yeah," Yuuri breathed, dazed and overwhelmed by the beauty laid out before him as far as the eye could see.

Viktor rested his head on Yuuri's shoulder and stared out at the view over it, Yuuri's hands curled over his own and held onto him with a warmth that was distinctly Yuuri's own.

The apartment Viktor had rented was quaint, small and rustic, it was easily stuffed with the assortment of things that Viktor had insisted that he needed to bring along. All of it brought out a sense of personality to the apartment, Viktor always brought every little piece of himself with him wherever he went.

Viktor pulled him away from the window, fingers loosely laced as they moved through the room toward the bathroom. Yuuri undid his boots as Viktor perched on the edge of the bathtub and ran the water, the tub was ceramic with metal claw feet and Yuuri fell in love with it on sight.

"Everything about this place simply screams Europe," Viktor said, holding his hand under the water to gauge the temperature.

"I'm not really sure what you mean by that," Yuuri replied, yanking the boots off his feet as he awkwardly stumbled from the way he was balanced.

"This whole city is like a living renaissance painting," Viktor elaborated with that soft cloying smile as the bathtub continued to fill up.

"I don't think I've ever really seen one," Yuuri confessed, tucking his boots outside the door and in the hall.

"I'll take you to see some, it's been quite some time since I've seen one myself," Viktor said, he stood and slipped out of his exquisite leather shoes. Yuuri watched as he delicately rolled down his socks and pushed them off his feet, pale fingers slid over his belt buckle as he deftly undid it and pulled it free from the loops of his jeans.

"I'd like that," Yuuri returned Viktor's gentle smile, unzipping his jacket before pulling it off and dumping it out into the hall on top of his boots. He pulled his shirt over his head as he heard the sound of Viktor's heavy jacket falling to the floor, in the back of his mind Yuuri worried about the fabric becoming damp but didn't voice it. Viktor's jeans and underwear were off before Yuuri had really had the time to take in Viktor's stunning form, built like a marble statue and Yuuri wondered how he could ever look at anything hung in an art gallery with Viktor beside him.

The taps shutting off tore Yuuri abruptly from his reverie as Viktor stepped into the bath, Viktor folded like origami as he descended beneath the water. Yuuri struggled to get off his track bottoms and underwear in a rush to get in the bath beside Viktor, the steam that rose off of it was as inviting as Viktor's sultry smile. Finally free of the shackles that were his clothes, Yuuri slipped into the bathtub with a sigh, Viktor's small chuckle was more than enough to bring colour to his cheeks with all the added intimacy. They were close enough to have their knees touching as they sat on opposite ends of the bath, it wasn't their first time sharing a bath or shower but this time it felt so much more close, as though there were no barriers between them.

Maybe Yuuri had created this distance between them, imagined it somehow, maybe it was the nerves, the idea that it would all fall apart after Viktor had done what he'd set out to do. It wasn't exactly a baseless fear but Yuuri had never really voiced it, never tried to find reasons to quell those fears.

Here though, Yuuri felt as though he could really see Viktor, the hopeless romantic that no one had expected him to be. Viktor was not the flawless skater that Yuuri had placed high up on a pedestal, Viktor was a real person with flaws and ambitions, everything that made people human. Yuuri wondered how he'd never figured that out before but perhaps he'd been wildly distracted by his hero worship and the championships.

"Yuuri," Viktor called, leaning over as his fingers curled under Yuuri's chin. He pulled the other close and brushed their lips together, making a shiver pleasantly run down the length of Yuuri's body. "There's no use in worrying about something if you're never going to do anything about it," Viktor murmured against the sensitive flesh of Yuuri's plump lips, breath ghosting over the other's face.

"I could say the same thing to you," Yuuri returned, remembering all the times he'd thought Viktor was about to say something, maybe those three words of which so much importance was placed upon, only to change the subject or distract Yuuri again.

"Touché," Viktor replied, waggling his eyebrows, Yuuri couldn't help but chuckle at the expression.

* * *

 

Breathless, it was the only word Yuuri could think of to describe the way he felt as they walked through the town, Yuuri's chest stuttered with every new view that was laid out before him. The Uffizi gallery overlooked the river and was just as old and stunning as all the other buildings around them, Yuuri had looked it up on his phone before they'd left but the image on his screen had done the real thing no justice at all.

Yuuri pulled on Viktor's arm, stilling the other as he stared up at the building's beautiful structure. He could see Viktor's thin smile from the corner of his eye, now it didn't seem so farfetched for there to be something in this world whose beauty could rival that of Viktor's, somehow just that thought seemed like blasphemy.

"There are more breathtaking views inside, I assure you," Viktor whispered, breath hot against Yuuri's ear and he couldn't hide the delight that tore through him as he watched that blush spread over the other's cheeks.

Following Viktor inside, Yuuri felt as though his eyes would give out at any given moment, overwhelmed as he were by the sheer amount of things there were to see. If any of the works were comparable to the way Viktor made him feel, it was the paintings of Botticelli. The otherworldly and ethereal beauty that shone from the canvas it was just so similar to the way Viktor appeared under the moonlight, they both glowed at him in such an enchanting way.

"Has Botticelli caught your heart?" Viktor asked, leaning over Yuuri's shoulder as they stood before La Primavera, "I'm quite jealous," he breathed, fringe slipping over his eyes.

"It makes me think of you," Yuuri murmured, turning his head to face Viktor. Yuuri caught a sight then that he'd only seen when the other was drunk, Viktor was blushing to the tips of his ears. The urge to yank Viktor down by the collar of his shirt into a desperate crushing kiss swiftly swept through Yuuri with force, but they were in the middle of a very popular gallery in the early spring, instead Yuuri leaned up and brushed their lips gently together in a swift chaste kiss.

"Scandalous," Viktor said sharply as he struggled to regain his composure, which really gave Yuuri enough of an ego trip to make him dizzy. Face now a darker shade of red as Viktor turned back to look at the painting again. "What about this reminds you of me?" He asked, brows furrowed as his eyes caught on the individual brush strokes.

"It glows with various kinds of glowing beauty and seduction," Yuuri said softly, voice low so that no one else could hear them, he felt kind of stupid saying it but the way that Viktor wouldn't look at him was kind of telling and pulled the words from him.

"I always thought it was you seducing me," Viktor said almost under his breath to the point where Yuuri hardly heard it.

"What?" Yuuri stammered, blinking at the other.

"Even from the first time I watched that video you doing my routine, your charms have been pulling me in from the very beginning," Viktor said, echoing himself again, subtly stroking the back of Yuuri's hand with his fingertips.

"I still feel as though I stole you from the world," Yuuri replied, heart beating hard and furious in his chest, he could feel the pulsing rush of blood thrumming through his head. "I'm not the least bit ashamed or guilty," he added, almost smirking as he went to move further through the gallery.

* * *

 

The wine slid thickly down his throat, the carbonara was creamy and delicious despite the almost outrageous price, but Yuuri couldn't deny how wonderful it was to eat a meal by the street and listen to the hustle and bustle of a regular night in the heart of Florence. The candle that sat in the middle of the table flickered gently between them, it softly lit Viktor's pale face and made his skin appear paper thin. Fingers curled over the edge of the table, Yuuri watched as Viktor finished his dinner.

The moon hung high in the deep royal blue sky, luminous and otherworldly, Yuuri stared at it as they waited for the waiter to come over with the bill. The moon had always reminded him of the brightness of Viktor's eyes, shining in the twilight, awfully enchanting as it pulled the waves.

They walked alongside the river on their way back to the apartment, Yuuri watched the way the moon's reflection danced upon the water's surface. Viktor's fingers found his own and laced between them, pulling his attention to Viktor, the warmth between them travelled up his arm and made him shiver. The only thing that Yuuri could think of as he stared up at Viktor's stark sparkling eyes was how much he wanted to pull the other aside and forcefully crush their bodies together, he marvelled at his own restraint as desire coursed through him.

Yuuri rubbed his thumb against the inside of Viktor's wrist as they walked over the cobbled streets, the street lamps were as ornate as everything around them. He was basically counting the steps toward the apartment, trying his best to still the furious beating of his heart and to quell the frustration that had been rising since the gallery earlier that day.

The journey passed silently and Yuuri could only think that Viktor was just as desperate to get back as he was, if the thrumming of Viktor's pulse was anything to go by Yuuri suspected that he was right. Their pace was brisk and could easily be explained by the bitter spring air, but Yuuri certainly knew better.

* * *

 

The moment the door was closed behind them, Yuuri didn't even waste a heartbeat before he was clawing at Viktor, tugging the other closer to him. Mouth open and waiting, Yuuri brushed his tongue softly over Viktor's lips making the other gasp. Fingers in Viktor's hair, nails scraping against Viktor's scalp, Yuuri smirked against the other's lips as Viktor sighed between them.

"Eager," Viktor breathed, holding Yuuri a length away from him.

"Aren't you?" Yuuri returned, brow arched pointedly at the other.

"Something's really lit a fire under you," Viktor pushed, thumbs rubbing over Yuuri's flushed cheeks.

"Haven't I always been seducing you?" Yuuri asked, leaning into the touch with his palm flat against Viktor's chest.

"I've been saying it from the beginning," Viktor replied, as though it should have been obvious, "you seduced me as you seduced everyone else in those crowds," he added smile warm and lips shining.

"I sort of thought that was all in my head," Yuuri said, tucking his chin sheepishly as he averted his eyes. His confidence came in waves and wavered easily, shaken by the mildest of tremors and he was back questioning himself again.

"Well here I am telling you that it was you who seduced me from half the world away," Viktor said, eyes heavy upon Yuuri's as he brought the other's hand from his chest and pressed his mouth to Yuuri's palm. "I jumped onto the first plane I could just to see you, just to carve you into the figure skater I knew you could be," he murmured against Yuuri's skin, "and you continued to pull me under with every performance," he added, nose brushing over Yuuri's wrist as he breathed in the other's scent. "I'm enraptured Yuuri, not just by your physical ability but every aspect of you that's been presented to me," Viktor said, pushing Yuuri's hand back into his own hair as he pulled the other closer and littered Yuuri's neck with kisses as soft as the flapping of butterfly wings.

"I feel like I fell for you so easily," Yuuri sighed, allowing a small shiver to shake through him.

"Did you want it to be hard?" Viktor asked, deft fingers sliding over the button's of Yuuri's shirt.

"I don't know, it just all feels too easy," Yuuri replied, "like I don't deserve it," he added, tilting his head slightly to allow Viktor more access.

"You worked hard for everything you have, don't pretend it doesn't give you an ego trip to know that you stole me from the world's stage," Viktor said, smirk pressed against Yuuri's pulse as he undid Yuuri's shirt, exposing the other's skin to the cool air of the apartment.

"Heh, I suppose," Yuuri chuckled, clutching at Viktor's hair as the other's tongue swiped over his pulse, tufts of silver hair held between his fingers.

"Oh, don't be so coy Yuuri," Viktor said lowly, breath sweeping over Yuuri's sensitive neck.

Yuuri decided it wouldn't do to continue to hold back, wasn't the point of this whole vacation to get to know each other better without any barriers, well Yuuri was determined to bare his soul if he needed to. He shrugged out of his jacket and shirt, allowed them to drop to the floor with a muted thunk at his feet, his arms shot out again and wrapped around Viktor's frame. Pulling at the fabric over Viktor's back, fingertips toying with the loose hairs that tapered at the nape of Viktor's neck.

Viktor's hands were gently over Yuuri's shoulder and moved down to rub against Yuuri's chest, nipples held between his fingers. Yuuri gasped at the pinch, mouth frantically eager to find Viktor's as he trailed his lips along the jut of Viktor's jaw, he groaned as their mouths finally collided. Sinking into each other like boots into mud, Yuuri could easily taste the residue of wine upon Viktor's thin lips, head swimming from the sensation.

Pulling at Viktor's jacket, Yuuri whined into the kiss as he struggled to push the fabric off Viktor's shoulders. He could feel Viktor's growing laughter as the other's chest stuttered against him until Viktor was stepping back, easily shrugging out of his jacket and leaving it jumbled upon the floor. Viktor kicked his shoes off as his slender fingers unbuttoned his pristine shirt and dropped it to the floor along with everything else, Yuuri simply stood there and watched as Viktor's alabaster skin was slowly exposed.

Resisting the urge to lick his lips, Yuuri surged toward Viktor, mouth back on the other's as his fingers pulled at the buttons of Viktor's trousers. The button came undone easily enough and the zipper followed as Yuuri slipped his hand inside, cupping Viktor through the fabric of his underwear. Nipping at Viktor's bottom lip, Yuuri rubbed the heel of his palm against Viktor's growing length as he hissed into Yuuri's mouth.

Viktor's hands slid down the warm expanse of Yuuri's back to cup the other's backside, he held Yuuri close as he walked them toward the bed, mouths still attached. Hungry, they gnawed at each other like starved animals. Pushing Yuuri down onto the bed, Yuuri's hand was wrapped around Viktor's waistband and pulled him down. Viktor stumbled atop the mattress, knees awkwardly placed either side of Yuuri's hips. Mouths haphazardly clashing together, teeth clinking, Viktor simply pushed forward and wrapped his hand around the back of Yuuri's neck.

Yuuri pushed down Viktor's trousers and underwear as far as he could, down to Viktor's thighs. His glasses were askew upon his face, the kiss had grown sloppy as they continued to desperately paw at each other. Fingers curled around the plump curve of Viktor's ass, fingertips digging into the firm flesh as he pulled Viktor's hips toward him. Yuuri tore his mouth away from Viktor, eyes alight with desire as he stared up at Viktor's stark blues, he kept that eye contact as his mouth drew nearer to Viktor's erection.

Lips pressed to the shiny head of Viktor's cock, Yuuri listened with quiet delight as he heard Viktor sigh above him, mouth sliding down the length of it. Closing his eyes, Yuuri hollowed his cheeks sucking along the shaft as he lapped at the head, twisting his head slightly in turn. With one hand still on Viktor's ass, he took a hold of Viktor's upper thigh with the other, he could feel the growing tremors through Viktor's leg. The gentle panting of Viktor above him quickly became short as Yuuri picked up the pace, head sliding back and forth, trying his best to hold Viktor still.

"Y-yuuri, I'm close," Viktor whined softly, writhing gently in Yuuri's grasp.

Yuuri pulled off with an audible pop, lips wet and shining with saliva, pink from the roughness of his own motions. He huffed as his chest heaved, leaning back on his elbows, he watched as a bead of precum slipped down the length of Viktor's erection. He took Viktor by the arm and yanked the other down onto the bed beside him, Yuuri stood from the bed then and jumped out of his jeans, along with his underwear.

When he looked back, Viktor was draped across the bed, fingers moving through his hair to sweep his fringe out of his eyes. Yuuri clambered atop the bed, knees forcing the mattress to dip as he crawled the short distance toward Viktor, hand rough over Viktor's chest and he brought it down over the other's abdomen. Moving between Viktor's legs as the other shifted and made room for him, Viktor's fingers slid gently through Yuuri's hair as Yuuri pressed his lips against the inside of Viktor's thigh.

It was so easy to believe that Yuuri had seduced Viktor here, with Viktor looking at him with such a heady sense of longing and the unabashed intimacy, he couldn't deny the way that Viktor was looking at him then. That unfiltered gaze made confidence swell within him as he reached over to the nightstand from between Viktor's bent legs, he pulled out the lube he knew Viktor had stashed there and brought it toward himself. He poured out the clear liquid onto his fingers, Viktor squirmed and giggled as Yuuri pressed his cool fingers against Viktor's asshole, massaging the small muscle gently.

"Yuuri," Viktor groaned, one of his legs slid down flat against the mattress, he rolled his head to the side atop the pillow. "Ah, don't tease me so mercilessly," he whined as Yuuri continued to rub against him in a circular motion, head tilted back as he curled his toes into the mattress.

"I wouldn't call this merciless," Yuuri murmured, small smile dancing on the edge of being sly as he nipped on the inside of Viktor's thigh, making the other twitch.

"You're in a playful mood today," Viktor noted through gritted teeth, fingernails digging into Yuuri's scalp.

It wasn't often that Yuuri led these sorts of escapades, but when he did it left Viktor dizzy and scrambling for purchase. It was as though a dam had broke inside the other and all the desires and longing Yuuri had been holding back were now set free to bare down and crash against Viktor. Teeth against the juncture between his thigh and groin, Viktor arched his back off of the bed as Yuuri bit down, hands clutching at the sheets. He released a keening kind of whine from between his gritted teeth, Yuuri's hands roved over his body, providing him with a constant barrage of over-stimulation.

"You really inspired me today," Yuuri said, hot breath puffed against Viktor's sensitive skin. He chose then to slip his finger inside the other, hot and cloying as he squeezed around him, Yuuri's mouth went dry at the sensation. It seemed that everything about Viktor was enticing and Yuuri simply couldn't help but to be enchanted, he felt as though he was falling deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole instead of coming out the other end.

Yuuri took his time working Viktor open, slow and languid motions as Viktor continued to writhe and shudder below him. It was a power trip, knowing that he was the one doing this to Viktor, making the other come undone beneath him. He watched with barely restrained fervour as Viktor's mouth stuttered open and closed, eyelids fluttering.

Viktor's legs curled around him, one loosely draped over Yuuri's shoulder and the other bent tight around his waist, heel digging into the small of his back. Spreading his fingers inside the other, Viktor squirmed breath coming out in short pants.

"Yuuri," Viktor's voice came sharp and jagged out of his throat, legs twitching around Yuuri.

Pulling back and out of VIktor, Yuuri listened to the other sigh as he reached for the lube again. Viktor's fingertips ran over Yuuri's legs, the pads of his fingers sliding over Yuuri's knee, gripping at whatever flesh he could reach.

Yuuri pushed Viktor's legs wide apart and rubbed the lube against Viktor's asshole, slathering the other's backside with the liquid, watching Viktor's ass pucker and twitch. Viktor wasn't the kind to beg, which Yuuri would have very much loved to hear, he'd imagined it time and time again. It was part of what motivated him to draw out every motion to perhaps coax those words from those vanilla lips, he tried every time he had the confidence to but had yet to succeed.

He rubbed a copious amount of lube over his own erection, biting his lip as he ran his hand over the length of himself. With Viktor's legs splayed either side of him, Yuuri held himself over the other as Viktor's arms loosely wrapped around him, guiding himself inside Viktor. Gritting his teeth as he pushed inside, Viktor's nails scratched against the nape of his neck and his glasses were sliding down his nose. Viktor's heels were digging into his backside, urging him forward, Yuuri hissed through his teeth as he came to a stop and placed his glasses on the bedside table.

"C'mon Yuuri," Viktor called breathily, pulling Yuuri's face down toward him as he leant up to meet the other halfway, lips brushing together softly.

A stuttered gasp fell from Viktor's lips when Yuuri rolled his hips against the other, a groan unfurled from Yuuri's own throat too. The thoughts of Viktor slipping through his fingers like grains of sand was so far from his mind, he couldn't even conceive of it with the way that Viktor was coiled around him. Panting into each other's mouths as they moved together, muted groans slipped between them.

"You're perfect just like this," Viktor murmured, words dropped wetly against Yuuri's skin, fingers digging into Yuuri's sides.

"I could say the same," Yuuri struggled out, dipping his head down to softly nip at Viktor's neck, grinding his hips at slow pace. Viktor hissed softly, breath sweeping through Yuuri's hair.

The tension built slowly as Yuuri continued to test Viktor's resolve, waiting with baited breath for Viktor to utter a desperate plea. Yuuri kissed down Viktor's collar, tongue tracing the length of the other's collarbone. He ran his hand up from the curve of Viktor's backside to Viktor's thighs, Yuuri pushed Viktor's leg back bending the other over double. Pushing himself up, allowing Yuuri to move deeper inside Viktor, making the other whine softly.

His panting grew louder, Yuuri could hear himself over the smacking of skin on skin. Viktor's brows were pinched together and his mouth hung agape, choked moans struggled out of his throat, Yuuri couldn't help but react to Viktor's expression and picked up the pace. Drawing more noises from Viktor's gaping mouth, back arching sharply off the bed, enough for Yuuri to wrap his arm under the other to hold Viktor close.

Rocking their hips together, Yuuri's stamina was waning as he continued to rut against Viktor, Viktor's fingers were tangled in his hair. They clung to each other desperately, chest stuttered as he struggled to catch his breath, puffing hotly against Viktor's face.

"Yuuri," Viktor called weakly, eyes heavy and shining brightly as he looked up at Yuuri, "cum inside," he breathed, body shuddering as Yuuri's erection rubbed against his prostate.

That was about as close to begging as Yuuri figured he was ever going to get, slamming against Viktor with vigour, Yuuri ground his teeth together as he grew close to his climax. He grasped Viktor's leaking erection between them and tugged at it as he chased his orgasm. Going rigid and holding steadfast onto Viktor's cock as it twitched against his palm, Yuuri came forcefully inside Viktor, eyes closed tightly with his mouth agape.

Viktor came shortly after, with Yuuri just jolting above and inside him, ejaculate spraying over their chests. Heaving breaths as they stared at each other, vision marred by the fog of glorious afterglow, smiles spread across bruised lips and cheek shining cherry red.

Ungracefully, Yuuri pulled out of Viktor and slumped down onto the mattress beside the other, muscles singing and twitching as he came down. Viktor's fingers carded gently through Yuuri's hair, staring up at the cracked ceiling as he tried to catch his breath, thigh muscles and his asshole twitching as Yuuri's cum slowly slid out of him.

"I see that Florence has really brought out the passion in you," Viktor murmured, voice hoarse and throat raw.

"It's not Florence, it's you," Yuuri replied, lying on his side as Viktor continued to pet his hair, "we inspire each other," he added, running his fingers down Viktor's side, fingertips gentle over the other's rib just make Viktor giggle.

"I'm glad of that," Viktor said, smiling cheerily, he turned on his side to face Yuuri then.

"Me too," Yuuri smiled in return, "maybe we should get cleaned up," he added, grimacing as his flagging erection rubbed against his stomach leaving a sticky mess behind.

"Of course," Viktor said, slowly rising from the bed as Yuuri's cum slid down the inside of his thigh.

* * *

 

Yuuri really loved washing with Vitkor, there in the just large enough bathtub he was able to truly worship Viktor's body the way he'd longed to. Fingers through Viktor's silver hair, Yuuri massaged the other's scalp, working the shampoo through Viktor's hair thoroughly. Viktor sighed as he leaned back, Yuuri's legs were either side of Viktor's body, leaning into Yuuri's body.

Sliding his fingers out of Viktor's hair Yuuri draped his arm over the other's shoulders, Viktor ran his hand over Yuuri's knee and down the other's thigh. Scrunching his body up, Viktor slid his head into the water and worked his hair clean, legs coming out of the bathtub and bent over the edge to dip his head further under the water.

Watching Viktor had always been a sort of hobby of his, Yuuri had admired Viktor from afar for years and there he was so intimately close to the other. Yuuri wasn't stupid, he knew Viktor wasn't going to leave him suddenly, but the doubt still ate at him awfully as it did with everything else. All Viktor had to do was stay beside him and even then just that wasn't going to cure Yuuri's unfounded anxiety.

"What're you thinking about?" Viktor asked, staring up at Yuuri.

"How I always end up putting pressure on you," Yuuri replied, smiling sheepishly as he scratched at his cheek.

"I can handle it," Viktor replied with a gentle smile, head tilted back awkwardly.

"That's not fair though," Yuuri replied, pushing his hair bangs out of his face.

"I don't mean for you to put it all on me, but leaning on me when you need me isn't such a bad thing," Viktor said, sitting up and spinning around to push himself to the other end of the bath, "we support each other," he added.

"I know," Yuuri said quietly, fidgeting slightly under Viktor's unwavering gaze.

Leaning back against the bathtub, Yuuri stared up at the discoloured ceiling as he tried to put his unfounded sense of anxiety into words.

"It's alright to worry," Viktor reassured, filling the silence with a gentle effort at comfort.

"It's less worrying, it's more like fear," Yuuri said, it was odd to say something like that out loud and while naked in a bath no less. "I'm just scared," he said with a great deal of effort.

"Me too," Viktor replied, Yuuri's head snapped toward Viktor then.

It wasn't as though the thought had never occurred to him, but it wasn't something he'd thought about for a long time since he'd didn't think that Viktor had ever really felt fear. Of course that wasn't true, he'd seen Viktor fret about things, but he'd put the other on such a pedestal that it seemed as though Viktor was incapable of being affected by the same things he was.

"You look as though that's surprising," Viktor said with an amused smiled.

"No, it's just, you've never said that to me," Yuuri said, shaking his head softly.

"I don't want to worry you over something I can handle myself," Viktor replied, rubbing his hand softly over Yuuri's knee.

"And still I end up putting pressure on you," Yuuri said, blushing slightly as he stared down at Viktor's hand.

"Not everything is your responsibility Yuuri," Viktor said, tone suddenly turning serious. He frowned as he rose from the tub, stepping out of it gracefully. Yuuri was left sitting pathetically in the cooling bath water, heart sinking into his stomach as he continued to sit there watching Viktor dry from across the room.

Viktor was right, it wasn't hard for Yuuri to understand that, but he felt absolutely terrible never having realised the things that Viktor was fearful of. How was he supposed to react when Viktor announced that he didn't feel comfortable telling Yuuri truthfully how he felt, how was he supposed to feel knowing that Viktor couldn't really lean on him for the same kind of support that Yuuri did.

The door closed with a clack behind Viktor and Yuuri was quite thankful for it, he needed the space around himself. He thought it quite funny to so swiftly go from such crackling desire, bliss and intimacy to something almost crushing for him, Yuuri hadn't ever been motion sick before but he imagined that this was what it felt like.

* * *

 

The sky was so blue, it was almost too bright to be true, Yuuri watched the moon shine down from through the window. He wondered how he'd put this to rest as Viktor seemed to sleep behind him, he sat on the floor, hands braced on the wood behind him.

He wondered how he could make himself appear more reliable, he'd done it so easily on the ice but his heart was fragile and he doubted that he could fortify his heart so that Viktor could feel at ease leaning on him. Would Viktor's anxiety make him anxious, really Yuuri wanted to be a stable person but he still wavered more than he'd like to, it wasn't all that much in his control.

"Am I only reliable on the ice?" Yuuri murmured to himself, maybe he had put a lot of his anxiety on Viktor, but Viktor had been his coach up until recently and wasn't the coach there to be relied upon? Yuuri was feeling more and more pathetic as he continued to think about it, he wanted to figure things out for himself for once, without being prompted.

Would it just do to stay by Viktor's side as Viktor had with him, that didn't feel like enough to him. He wanted to show Viktor that he could be just as resourceful and supportive as Viktor tried to be, even though Viktor had failed and floundered he had still tried. Yuuri hadn't tried because he hadn't known, maybe if Viktor's fears surrounded Yuuri's abilities and the outcomes of their hard work then he'd settled those fears by performing well, but besides that what had he done? Then again what could he do if he didn't know there was something wrong?

Running his fingers through his hair, Yuuri groaned with frustration, this wasn't helpful. Going round and around in circles was going to lead him nowhere, in the end all he could do was support Viktor as the other had him.

Sliding into bed beside Viktor, Yuuri resolved to do at least something to support Viktor after maybe getting more than three hours of sleep, he hoped at least.

* * *

 

Viktor awoke to the thick scent of coffee drifting through the air, it drew him from the sanctity of the warm bed, he padded through the tiny apartment to the kitchen to find Yuuri stood in the corner with a steaming mug in his hand as he stared out the window. Viktor wished he had his phone, he wanted to capture the soft beauty of the sight before him.

"Good morning," he announced, voice still groggy as sleep still clung to him.

"Good morning," Yuuri replied, eyes sliding toward the counter, "I made coffee," he added, gesturing with his head toward the other mug atop the counter.

Viktor smiled softly, "thank you," he said, reaching out for the coffee. Taking the first sip, Viktor sighed and closed his eyes, it was good and exactly how Viktor liked it. "Shall we go out for breakfast or maybe we could make something here?" Viktor suggested, opening the meagre fridge and scanning the sparse contents.

It wasn't that he'd forgotten about how he'd reacted the night before or what Yuuri had said to him, he felt a little guilty saying those things, but he'd didn't want to lie to Yuuri either.

He turned back, closing the fridge behind him as he looked over Yuuri again, thinking back to their first kiss and how awfully he'd tried to comfort the other.

"You told me something a while ago," Viktor began, thinking back on a time that was more than a year prior, "I tried to manipulate you into reacting a certain way, which was one of my most terrible ideas but it got you tell me something you'd been keeping inside. Once you got it out you felt better as did I and you told me something I should have realised quite some time before," he rambled, which was quite unusual for him.

"You were right, I know that," Yuuri said somewhat disjointedly, taking another sip of his coffee as he continued to stare down at the street.

"That's not what I mean Yuuri," Viktor replied, restraining himself from sighing, "I just wanted to say that you just staying by my side is more than enough for me," he added, trying not to sound condescending.

"I want you to be able to tell me though, even if you're fine with just my support, I want to know when something is bothering you," Yuuri murmured, frowning out the window. The morning sunlight filtered softly through glass, it lit Yuuri so gently.

"I know," Viktor said, hands curled around the mug of coffee, the warmth seeped up his fingers. He didn't really know what else to say and usually when he got there he turned to actions, which he didn't think was quite appropriate given Yuuri's forlorn expression.

"Maybe it's just something we have to work on together," Yuuri said, smile soft and weak as he meekly turned to Viktor.

"Ah, yes," Viktor said, returning Yuuri's smile. Neither of them were combative people, quite honestly they were the opposite and perhaps that was part of the problem. It made them reluctant to discuss their problems and cause even the slightest bit of conflict between them, but once they got over the anxiety and fear of upsetting one another, they often found a middle ground where they could understand each other properly.

"What do you want to do today? Any wild and surprising ideas?" Yuuri asked, brow arched as he subdued the smirk forming on his face.

"We haven't even decided on breakfast yet," Viktor said, gesturing to the cupboards that were almost empty.

Yuuri plucked a clementine from the fruit blow atop the small table and used his thumb nail to tear the skin off of it, peeling it away without grace or charm, clumps came off in his hand. He pulled a section away from the rest of the clementine and plopped it into his mouth as he let the smirk spread across his face.

"That's your answer?" Viktor said, chuckling to himself, hand held daintily over his mouth.

Shrugging, Yuuri continued to eat the clementine. Viktor opened the cupboards and searched through them finding a random assortment of things that didn't go together. Frowning, Viktor stared at the cheese, tin of beans, ketchup and some spice that Viktor couldn't read the name of, he made a decision.

"Let's go out," Viktor announced, turning back to Yuuri. All Yuuri gave in return was a knowing sort of look that said 'I thought so', which Viktor found kind endearing in its underhanded passive aggressiveness.

* * *

 

They ate at a cafe by the river, sat at the stylish tables that were outside on the side of the street. Somehow, it seemed kind of important to always have the beautiful cityscape easily viewable from wherever they were. Strong coffee sat between them along with now empty plates, Yuuri sipped gingerly at the coffee as he watched the people go by. It really was a romantic city, he couldn't fault Viktor for that, maybe Paris wasn't as stunning as he'd been led to believe. Either way, Yuuri couldn't deny that the atmosphere surrounding them was nearly sickeningly romantic, it almost made him want to lean over the table to press his lips against Viktor's.

Yuuri tapped his fingers against the tabletop, Viktor's hand came over his own and halted the motion and the noise. Trailing his eyes up Viktor's arm, he came to the other's gentle face.

"What do want to do today then?" Viktor asked, rubbing his fingers softly over the back of Yuuri's hand.

"I'm not sure," Yuuri replied, shrugging, "I don't really know anything about this city," he added.

"Ah, I suppose," Viktor said, tapping his fingers against his chin, "let's walk around and take photos like real tourists," he suggested smiling back at Yuuri.

"Okay," Yuuri said, draining his coffee as he grimaced, Viktor chuckled in the background.

* * *

 

Slowly walking through the city, taking in the beautiful architecture as Viktor snapped photos beside him and often of him. It was as endearing as it was irritating since he knew that these pictures would end up on instagram, where everyone he'd ever met and people he would never meet would see them.

"Yuuri, you look really nice today," Viktor said, seemingly out of the blue, but when Yuuri turned to him to see that Viktor was staring at his phone.

Yuuri blushed as he could see that Viktor was looking at a picture he'd just taken of Yuuri, it still made his heart skip a beat whenever Viktor complimented him.

"Thanks," Yuuri replied, smiling timidly as they continued on through the streets. Stunningly designed buildings looming over them, Yuuri couldn't take everything in, so he decided to just carry on walking along and passively absorb everything that he passed by. "You know I could skate for the rest of my life if you were by my side," he added, something that had nothing to do with anything they'd spoken about, but he'd been thinking about his career subtly in the background of his mind the entire time.

"I know," Viktor replied softly, Yuuri knew this too he just felt as though he needed to say it.

"But I don't think that's what's going to end up happening," Yuuri continued, turning his face to the sky and watched the thin clouds pass by.

"What would you like to happen?" Viktor asked, putting his phone back into his jacket pocket to better focus on Yuuri's reply.

"Just for us to be together," Yuuri returned, looking around as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Isn't that a given at this point?" Viktor said, brow arched pointedly as he stared at Yuuri, tugging on the other's wrist to get Yuuri to look at him again.

"Yeah," Yuuri drew out sheepishly, pushing his hand through his hair.

"Then what do you want to, after this vacation where do you want our lives to go?" Viktor asked, watching Yuuri expectantly.

"I dunno, perhaps, well I don't know about you, but I'd like to teach skating," Yuuri said, smiling softly as he stared at Viktor. It was such a gentle expression that it almost made Viktor's heart melt, a warmth spread through him and he could never deny that look.

"I think that'd be nice, we could buy a rink a-"

"I don't have that kind of money!" Yuuri interrupted, causing many heads to turn, unexpectedly drawing attention to himself.

"You've got enough for us to 60/40," Viktor replied without missing a beat.

"You're not going to take no for an answer are you?" Yuuri said, frowning as he stared up at the other.

"Not when you don't really mean it and you never actually said no anyway," Viktor rationalised, smirking at Yuuri all the while.

"I guess I didn't actually say no, but I feel like you're just taking all of the responsibility from me," Yuuri returned, trying to make the same kind of point that Viktor had made the night before although for something markedly less personal.

"Only twenty percent," Viktor noted pedantically, smiling that irritatingly charming smile that made many people weak at the knees.

"That's besides the point," Yuuri replied testily.

"Economical support is not the same as emotional support," Viktor said, practically shrugging Yuuri off.

"I'm not going to take twenty percent of your money without giving anything back," Yuuri said, it was against his sensibilities and it just didn't feel right when he still hadn't been able to give Viktor a proper salary, since the other wouldn't let him.

"I'm not giving you a loan Yuuri, I'm being generous," Viktor said, perhaps being purposefully argumentative.

"You're really fighting me over this?" Yuuri whined, "I'm not going to back down down from at least a fifty/fifty split," he added, strangely close to losing his temper.

"You just said that you didn't have the money for that," Viktor said, smartly.

"I was exaggerating and it might be a stretch but I think it'd be amazing if we opened an sort of school together and rented out the rink and coached," Yuuri rambled, waving his arms slightly and drawing more attention to himself.

"Okay, let's work towards make that dream come true then," Viktor said, as though it was what he'd been waiting for Yuuri to say the entire time.

"Okay," Yuuri said with force and continued on down the street like a stubborn child.

Viktor hadn't exactly manipulated him into it as it may have seemed, really Yuuri had wanted to do it, but he'd lacked the courage yet again and it'd been Viktor that had given him the push he needed, again. Yuuri figured that maybe he should come to terms with needing to have that extra little push to allow himself to do the things he wanted to do but was scared of doing, in all honesty Viktor was probably the best thing that ever happened to him.

* * *

 

Guiding children over the ice, Yuuri moved backward slowly as he held the child's small hands and gently urged them forward. The child's face was marred with uncertainty, but as they got moving that expression shifted to something soft and boundless. It warmed his heart to the point of melting to sow the seeds of a growing passion for ice skating in others, he often wondered if this was the same thing Viktor had seen in him long ago.

Arms folded over the edge of the wall, Viktor watched with brimming pride. Fingers through his hair, Viktor allowed the smile to spread wide across his face.


End file.
